Sonmiani Tehsil
{{Short description|Pakistani administrative area}}
{{Use Pakistani English|date=May 2025}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Sonmiani/Winder
| other_name = Sonmiyani
| native_name = {{langx|bal|{{Nastaliq|تحصیل سونمیانی}}}}
| settlement_type = Tehsil of Hub District
| image_skyline = Winder River Balochistan.jpg
| imagesize =
| image_caption = The dried up riverbed of the Winder River, seen from the N-25 National Highway.
| pushpin_map = Balochistan Pakistan#Pakistan
| coordinates = {{coord|25|25|0|N|66|40|0|E|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{Pak}}
| subdivision_type1 = Province
| subdivision_name1 = Balochistan
| subdivision_type2 = District
| subdivision_name2 = Hub District
| subdivision_type3 = Headquarter
| subdivision_name3 = Windar
| area_total_km2 = 2,616
| area_metro_km2 =
| elevation_m =
| elevation_ft =
| elevation_footnotes =
| population_total = 67,991
| population_as_of = 2023
| population_density_km2 = 25.99
| population_footnotes = {{cite web |title=Table 1: Area, Population by Sex, Sex Ratio, Population Density, Urban Population, Household Size and Annual Growth Rate, Balochistan |url=https://www.pbs.gov.pk/sites/default/files/population/2023/tables/table_1_balochistan_districts.pdf |website=pbs.gov.pk |publisher=Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, Census |access-date=23 May 2025 |language=en |date=2023}}
| population_urban = 35,245 (51.84%)
| population_density_urban_km2 =
| population_rural = 32,746 (48.16%)
| demographics_type1 = Literacy
| demographics1_title1 = Literacy rate
| demographics1_info1 = 35.80%{{cite web |title=Table 12 - Population (10 years and above) by Literacy Rate, Enrolment and Out of School Population by Sex and Rural/Urban, Census 2023
|url=https://www.pbs.gov.pk/sites/default/files/population/2023/tables/table_12_balochistan_district.pdf |website=pbs.gov.pk |publisher=Pakistan Bureau of Statistics |access-date=23 May 2025}}
| timezone = PST
| utc_offset1 = +5
| area_code =
| blank1_name_sec1 = Main languages
| blank1_info_sec1 = 56,457 Balochi, 3,544 Sindhi{{cite web |title=Table 11: Population by Mother Tongue, Gender, and Rural/Urban Residence (Census 2023) |url=https://www.pbs.gov.pk/sites/default/files/population/2023/tables/table_11_balochistan_districts.pdf |website=pbs.gov.pk |publisher=Pakistan Bureau of Statistics |access-date=23 May 2025 |language=en}}
}}
Sonmiani,{{efn|{{langx|bal|{{Nastaliq|سونمیانی}}}}, {{langx|brh|{{Nastaliq|سونمیانی}}}}, {{langx|ur|{{Nastaliq|سونمیانی}}}}, {{IPA|ur|soːnˈmjɑːni|pron|}}}} also referred to as Windar, is an administrative subdivision (tehsil) of Hub District in the province of Balochistan, Pakistan. In 2023, the tehsil had a population of 67,991, more than half residing in urban areas, including its administrative centre Windar.
The tehsil was part of Lasbela District until 2022, when administrative reforms led to the creation of Hub District.{{cite news |last1=Shahid |first1=Saleem |title='Hub' becomes 35th district of Balochistan |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1708293 |access-date=23 May 2025 |work=Dawn.com |publisher=Dawn |date=4 September 2022 |language=en}} The tehsils of the new district, in addition to Sonmiani, are: Dureji, Gadani, Hub, and Sakran.{{cite web |title=Lasbela bifurcated, Hub made new district |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1673011/lasbela-bifurcated-hub-made-new-district |work=Dawn |date=3 February 2022 |access-date=23 May 2025}}
Geography
Sonmiani Tehsil spans approximately 2,616 square kilometres and features a combination of coastal plains and arid, mountainous terrain. While the majority of the landscape is dry, limited pockets of arable land support agriculture. The tehsil experiences a hot desert climate, (classified under the Köppen system) with sparse rainfall and high summer temperatures. Geographically, the tehsil borders the Arabian Sea, including the coastal waters of Sonmiani Bay and the biologically significant Miani Hor lagoon, a designated wetland of ecological importance.{{cite web |title=Lasbela (District, Balochistan) |url=https://citypopulation.de/en/pakistan/balochistan/admin/215__lasbela/ |website=citypopulation.de |access-date=23 May 2025 |language=en |date=26 August 2024}}
To the north, near the boundary with Liari and Uthal tehsils of Lasbela District, lies the shallow seasonal Siranda Lake, located between Miani Hor and the N-25 National Highway. The lake holds both ecological and archaeological relevance. Further inland, about {{convert|25|km|mi}} east of Winder town, the Winder Dam is expected to be completed in 2025.{{cite news |title=Winder Dam to be completed next year |url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/2501098/winder-dam-to-be-completed-next-year |access-date=30 May 2025 |work=tribune.com.pk |publisher=The Express Tribune |date=7 October 2024 |language=en}} It will contribute to local water storage and irrigation, with a capacity of {{convert|54000|acre feet|m3}} and a small hydropower generation capacity of 3 megawatts.{{cite news |title=Winder Dam to be completed by 2025 |url=https://www.brecorder.com/news/40167145 |access-date=30 May 2025 |work=brecorder.com |publisher=Business Recorder |date=14 April 2022 |language=en}}
Population
{{Historical populations|1951|...|1961|8787|1972|16210|1981|20675|1998|31799|2017|64,019|2023|67,991|align=left |percentages=pagr |footnote=Source: Pakistan Bureau of Statistics:{{cite web |title=Table 4: Area and Population of Administrative Units by Rural/Urban: 1951–1998 Censuses |url=https://repository.lahoreschool.edu.pk/xmlui/bitstream/handle/123456789/13673/Administrative%20Units.pdf |publisher=Pakistan Bureau of Statistics |website=Lahore School of Economics |access-date=3 June 2025}}}} As per the 2023 national census, the tehsil has a total population of 67,991, comprising 32,746 rural and 35,245 urban residents. The town of Windar serves as the tehsil's headquarters and is the primary urban centre. The tehsil includes 14,186 households, of which 6,861 are in rural and 7,325 in urban areas.{{cite web |title=Table 24: Housing Characteristics, Facilities of Toilet and Washroom Used by Households, Rural/Urban: Census 2023 |url=https://www.pbs.gov.pk/sites/default/files/population/2023/tables/table_24_balochistan_districts.pdf |website=pbs.gov.pk |publisher=Pakistan Bureau of Statistics |access-date=21 May 2025 |language=en |date=2023}}
The overall literacy rate is 35.80%, with a male literacy rate of 45.58% and a female literacy rate of 25.89%. These figures highlight ongoing challenges in access to education, particularly for women.
= Languages =
In Sonmiani Tehsil, Balochi is the predominant language, spoken by approximately 56,457 individuals (~83.1% of the population). Other languages include Sindhi (3,544 speakers, ~5.2%), and Brahui (423 speakers, ~0.6%), with the remaining population speaking various other languages. It is important to note that the Sindhi reported in this context largely refers to Lasi, a distinct local dialect of Sindhi also spoken in the costal region of Balochistan.{{cite journal |last1=Rasheed |first1=Abdul |last2=Ali* |first2=Zahid |last3=Khan |first3=Khursheed Ahmed |title=A Morphosyntatic Analysis of Suffixation in Lasi and Sindhi |journal=Pakistan Journal of Society, Education and Language (PJSEL) |date=19 June 2023 |volume=9 |issue=2 |pages=334–346 |url=https://pjsel.jehanf.com/index.php/journal/article/view/1177/873 |access-date=8 June 2025 |language=en |issn=2523-1227}}
References and notes
=Explanatory notes=
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